The Key
by crochetaway
Summary: Hermione Granger runs into an old friend at the Durmstrang Institute. He may just be the key to the cage she's kept her heart in since the end of the war. QLFC Season 5 Round 2. Ballycastle Bats, Chaser 2. Oneshot. Complete.


**Written for QLFC Season 5, Round 2 - Locations. I'm chaser 2 for Ballycastle Bats (Go Bats!). My location was Durmstrang Institute. My optional prompts were: [word] shadow, [word] contagious, [picture] image . shutterstock z / stock - photo - 376350100 . jpg .**

 **My lovely betas were queen-sheep and brownlark42. Any further mistakes are all mine!**

 **Word Count: 1424**

 **Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

* * *

Hermione Granger stalked through the shadowy halls of the Durmstrang Institute. She was in her fourth year as the Transfiguration Professor and had been summoned to the Headmaster's office. Apparently, she was to mentor the new Dark Arts professor. This meant guiding him around the school, showing him the ropes, and being a resource for the new professor. Hermione's own mentor only four years ago was the Arithmancy Professor, Igor Cragg. He was a grouchy old man and he didn't teach Hermione much of anything. The one valuable piece of advice she had received from him was the translation charm on her classroom. Durmstrang was an international school and children from all over Europe attended. It was easiest to put up a translation charm rather than try to teach in English and expect her students to understand her perfectly. For the most part, she had to learn about Durmstrang on her own and she was determined to be a better mentor than Igor had been.

Durmstrang was very different than Hogwarts - it was colder and stricter and even more remote. Hermione loved it. She had come here from England to get away from the press. Her breakup with Ron had not been amicable and the press had vilified her for it. Ron could do no wrong. But the muggleborn upstart? She was a tart and a bitch, and what was wrong with her for dumping poor, sweet pure-blood, Ronald Weasley? Hermione huffed at her own thoughts; she had kept her heart firmly in a cage since breaking up with her old friend. Being at Durmstrang had provided Hermione just what she needed. She was still in the wizarding world, but far enough away from it all that she was left in peace by the press. And unfortunately, by most of her friends as well. Harry had never been great at keeping up a correspondence via owl.

Hermione knocked on the Headmaster's office door, and when it popped open of its own accord, she went inside.

"Good evening, Headmaster," Hermione said with a small smile as she entered the room.

The headmaster was not alone, and the man who sat at his desk turned to face her.

"Viktor!" Hermione cried out happily at seeing her friend. They had lost touch as teenagers, but he hadn't changed much in the years since. He was as tall and broad as ever and now sported a tidy goatee.

"Hermione," he responded with a grin. His voice was deep and resonate. He stood from his chair and swept her up in a hug that lifted her off her feet.

"Are you our new Dark Arts professor?" she asked when she was on the ground again.

"I am. Are you surprised?" Viktor asked. His accent was lighter than it had been when they were children. Hermione assumed it was all the years he spent playing in International Quidditch.

"I am! But it's a good surprise! It's great to see a familiar face," Hermione grinned up at him.

"Well, I'm sure we're all happy at this little reunion," Headmaster Kipel scowled. He hadn't been happy when Hermione was forced upon him at the unexpected retirement of the previous Transfiguration Professor. But he had been desperate, and Durmstrang only offered ten-year contracts for teachers. So he was stuck with her for the next six years. Hermione didn't mind. She was used to not being liked all that much.

"Professor Krum, Professor Granger will be your mentor for the next year. I know you are familiar with Durmstrang, but things are different when one is on the teaching side," Headmaster Kipel said with a sneer. "She's reasonably competent and should be able to give you any assistance you may need." He waved his hand in dismissal.

Hermione grinned up at Viktor again and looped her arm through his as they left the office.

"Has it changed much since you went to school here?" Hermione asked as the toured the school. It was a castle, much like Hogwarts, but it was much smaller and better organized in Hermione's opinion. Durmstrang wasn't as magical as Hogwarts, with its enchanted sky and moving staircases, but Hermione rather thought that made finding your way around as a young student much easier. And there were fewer abandoned classrooms for students to get up to no good in.

"Not much," Viktor replied. "A few new faces, prettier ones," he said with a small smile. Hermione couldn't stop the blush that rose to her cheeks.

"Have you seen your quarters yet?" she asked. She was desperate to change the subject.

"Trying to get into my quarters already, Hermione? We haven't even had dinner!" Viktor mocked, and acted falsely scandalized.

Hermione blushed again. Merlin, I'm really stepping in it. Hermione was quiet for a few minutes. She suddenly couldn't think of a thing to say and she started to pull her arm from his.

"I'm kidding, Hermione," Viktor said and stopped pulling her around to face him. "You haven't changed. Still very beautiful. And still very shy," Viktor reached up and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. Hermione's blush deepened.

"Thank you," she said quietly and looked away. She wasn't able to meet his eyes. She didn't know why he said these things about her. She knew she was plain: it was all over Witch Weekly and the Daily Prophet about how she was too plain to be on the famous Ron Weasley's arm.

"Come, let's eat dinner," Viktor said. He steered them toward his quarters. When they arrived, Viktor called for a house elf to bring them dinner and they sat at his small table. Viktor told her about his career-ending injury a few years ago and how he had been drifting since.

"When I heard about the opening at Durmstrang, I jumped at the opportunity to teach at my alma mater," he told her with a smile. He was clearly reliving his days as a student.

"I would have loved to teach at Hogwarts," Hermione reminisced. "But, it was not to be. Durmstrang is better for me anyway."

"But didn't you apprentice under your old Transfiguration Professor? McGonagall?" Viktor asked. "Isn't she Headmistress?"

Hermione smiled sadly, "I'm not very popular in Wizarding Britain, and with all that happened during the last two Headmasters' terms at Hogwarts, my unpopularity is considered too contagious to have been hired at Hogwarts."

"Why are you unpopular? Are you not part of the Golden Trio? You helped defeat Voldemort. And bring down the Death Eaters!" Viktor was clearly agitated now.

"Viktor, calm down, it's all right. That was a lot of years ago. Ron Weasley and I ended our relationship poorly, and he had a better press game than I did. That's all," Hermione told him. She had reached out to grasp his hand. She was over all of that. It was one of the reasons she had taken the ten-year contract at Durmstrang.

Viktor squeezed her hand in reply, "It seems to me that you received a raw deal."

Hermione laughed, "I probably did. But I'm over it. I'm so glad I came to Durmstrang four years ago. It has been a wonderful experience for me."

"I am glad you are at Durmstrang now," Viktor told her. "It's one of the reasons I accepted the job."

"Really?" Hermione couldn't fathom why Viktor would accept a job just because she also worked at the same place.

"You have to know that I am still crazy about you," Viktor replied.

"What?" Hermione had no such ideas. She and Viktor hadn't even really dated. They had one date - the Yule Ball in her fourth year.

"You were the one who got away, Hermione," he replied softly. He stood next to the table and pulled her to stand with him. He cupped her cheek with his large hand and Hermione felt herself relaxing into his embrace. It had been so long since any man had held her.

"I want to kiss you," Viktor said as he lowered his head. Hermione sucked in a breath but otherwise didn't move.

"May I?" Viktor prompted. Hermione nodded and closed her eyes when she felt his soft warm lips on hers. She hadn't expected the fire that suddenly raced through her veins, but when Viktor deepened the kiss, she allowed him, and threaded her hands through his hair, holding him close to her.

She felt the cage around her heart melting just a little. For the first time in her life, she felt like she could be free.


End file.
